Technical Field
The present invention relates to a connector.
Related Art
FIG. 8 shows a conventional connector disclosed in JP 2013-243008 A, and is a sectional view showing fitting between a first housing and a second housing. As shown in FIG. 8, conventionally disclosed is a connector 100 which includes a first housing 101 and a second housing 102 and is configured in such a manner that the two housings 101 and 102 can be kept fitted into each other by a locking operation of a lock arm 110 provided in the first housing 101 and a locking projection 120 provided in the second housing 102 (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
The lock arm 110 includes an arm 111 which is formed so as to extend from an outer surface of the first housing 101 in approximately the same direction as a direction in which the first housing 101 is fitted into the second housing 102. The lock arm 110 further includes a locking projection 112 which is formed at a tip end of the arm 111 so as to project toward the locking projection 120 of the second housing 102 and is locked to the locking projection 120. The lock arm 110 is configured so as to be elastically displaceable in an unlocking direction in which the lock arm 110 separates from an outer surface of the first housing 101.
The locking projection 112 has a first locking surface 113 which is locked to the locking projection 120. The first locking surface 113 is set to be inclined in such a manner that a lower end (projection end) is located closer to a root side of the arm 111 than an upper end (a base end of the locking projection 112) in a natural state where the lock arm 110 is not elastically displaced. Also, the locking projection 120 has a second locking surface 121 which is approximately perpendicular to a fitting direction in which the two housings 101 and 102 are fitted into each other.
During processes in which the above-described two housings 101 and 102 are fitted into each other, the locking projection 112 gets over the locking projection 120 and the lock arm 110 elastically returns, so that the first locking surface 113 is locked to the second locking surface 121. In this state, the first housing 101 is restrained from moving in a direction in which the first housing 101 separates from the second housing 102, so that the two housings 101 and 102 are kept fitted into each other.
FIGS. 9A to 9C are views for explaining disadvantages in a conventional general connector. FIG. 9A is a view showing a state in which the lock arm 110 is locked to the second locking surface 121. FIG. 9B is a view showing a state in which one of the two housings 101 and 102 is pulled in a direction in which one of the two housings 101 and 102 separates from the other in the state shown in FIG. 9A. FIG. 9C is a view showing a state in which one of the two housings 101 and 102 is further pulled as compared to the state shown in FIG. 9B. More specifically, when one of the two housings 101 and 102 is pulled in a direction in which one of the two housings 101 and 102 separates from the other, the first locking surface 113 is displaced from a position where the first locking surface 113 is inclined in such a manner that a lower end thereof (projection end) is located closer to a root side of the arm 111 than an upper end thereof (base end of the locking projection 112) as shown in FIG. 9A, to a position where a lower end of the first locking surface 113 is located far from a root of the arm 111 as shown in FIG. 9B. Thus, the first locking surface 113 becomes approximately perpendicular to a fitting direction of the two housings 101 and 102. Then, the first locking surface 113 slides on the second locking surface 121, and the lock arm 110 comes out upwardly. Moreover, as one of the two housings 101 and 102 is further pulled to thereby further separate from the other, the first locking surface 113 is further displaced to a position where a lower end of the first locking surface 113 is located farther from a root of the arm 111 as shown in FIG. 9C. This may cause the first locking surface 113 being locked to the second locking surface 121 to be unlocked, resulting in release of fitting between two connectors.
Patent Literature 1: JP 2013-243008 A